Vinyl for cars

[WestbankKurt]

Which is better for car application: calendered or cast?
Thank you

 

[Fred Weiss]

Cast.

 

[MGraphics]

Always Cast!!!!

 

[DRPSignsNGrafix]

Always cast on a Vehicle

 

[Gino]

Another vote for cast, unless the customer wants down and dirty cheap vinyl, then tell him you're gonna use calendared and get paid immediately.

Actually, we've used lotsa calendared on trucks and such, with little to no problems.... even after 5 or so years. However, I still vote cast if you can.

 

[WestbankKurt]

Vinyl on cars

Thank for the quick response. Why is cast the better vinyl then calendered?

 

[TheSnowman]

Really? I get that we all need to be educated somehow, but if you are getting ready to sell a customer vinyl, you need to know how to inform them. Even in the description of the product I'd think you'd pick up that cast lasts longer. Calendared shrinks over time and doesn't last as long.

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

CAST or CALENDARED

Thank for the quick response. Why is cast the better vinyl then calendered?

I got this one, y'all. Even though I do not speak CAJUN, I think Kurt will understand. CAST is manufactured by pouring the liquid vinyl to its finished size and allowing it to cure accordingly. CALENDARED is manufactured by pouring the liquid to a specific size, curing, and then "stretching" the product to its finished size. The stretching gives the vinyl a memory; therefore, over time, the applied vinyl will "shrink" back to its pre-stretched size.

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

And your in the sign business?

 

[WestbankKurt]

Informative

Thank you for the detailed answer. Sorry, I do not speak Cajun although I was born and raised here. There is no reason for Chicago to be snitty with me as if that person never needed a quick answer. I do thank the rest of you for sharing answers and knowledge.

 

[eahicks]

And your in the sign business?

Dude really? This is in the newbie forum, so maybe, JUST maybe, he is NEW to this. Stop being a d*ck to everyone. I see your responses to people all over and you really need to find a new attitude.

 

[wildside]

CAST is manufactured by pouring the liquid vinyl to its finished size and allowing it to cure accordingly. CALENDARED is manufactured by pouring the liquid to a specific size, curing, and then "stretching" the product to its finished size. The stretching gives the vinyl a memory; therefore, over time, the applied vinyl will "shrink" back to its pre-stretched size.

similar, but what i always understood, and told by a gregory rep probably 15 years ago, that cast starts as a liquid and is poured onto massive sheets and baked to cure, while calendared starts as almost like a "playdough" or putty and rolled through different pinch rollers to squeeze it down to the thin shape

cast is stretchy and does not have a memory because it started as a liquid and has no reference point while calendared will always try to ball back up to its original "playdough" state, causing the curling and the shrinking.....

 

[Gino]

I think you're both kinda saying the same thing with a little bit of different words being used to describe the same basic characteristics.

The play-dough has to start at some reference point and then poured or placed into/onto a tray to get pulverized, flattened and stretched to make it calendared by definition.

 

[Terremoto]

And your in the sign business?

And you're in the sign business?

Dan

 

[Fred Weiss]

It was explained to me by a VP at the old Fasson (now Avery) ...

Calendared vinyl starts out as a dough and is either extruded through a thin slot with pressure or rolled into a sheet using steel rollers. Either way the molecular memory of the film is that of a lump and it will want to shrink back into a lump when exposed to heat or as it ages. All that stops it from doing so is the adhesive.

Cast vinyl is liquified and then sprayed like paint against a "casting sheet" where it dries or cures and is left with the molecular memory of the sheet it dried as. Therefore, it has no tendency to shrink as it ages.

Cast vinyl is inherently more expensive to produce but it is also inherently superior for long term outdoor vinyl lettering and graphics.

 

[ThinkRight]

It was explained to me by a VP at the old Fasson (now Avery) ...

Calendared vinyl starts out as a dough and is either extruded through a thin slot with pressure or rolled into a sheet using steel rollers. Either way the molecular memory of the film is that of a lump and it will want to shrink back into a lump when exposed to heat or as it ages. All that stops it from doing so is the adhesive.

Cast vinyl is liquified and then sprayed like paint against a "casting sheet" where it dries or cures and is left with the molecular memory of the sheet it dried as. Therefore, it has no tendency to shrink as it ages.

Cast vinyl is inherently more expensive to produce but it is also inherently superior for long term outdoor vinyl lettering and graphics.

 

[anotherdog]

Always Cast...however there are some great calendared vinyls out there. I have trailers still looking good after 5 years using Calendared.
It depends on what you are doing. A thousand decals or a single wrap.

 

[HulkSmash]

Do you plan on wrapping a vehicle? Or just decals.

Either way, try the 3m ij180

 

[mudmedia]

Colorado..180 here as well...what do you use for standard what I call for cut vinyl...I been using 751 Oracal just because its what I started with 12 years ago and never really tried anything else...Once in a blue moon I may use 651 Black on yard signs but I try to stay consistent with 751 even if its just going on a yard sign. Any other recommendations Im willing to try something if people suggest good results

 

[OlsonSigns601]

751 for a yard sign? thats not very cost effective. vinyl will last longer than the sign.

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

CAST vs CALENDARED

similar, but what i always understood, and told by a gregory rep probably 15 years ago, that cast starts as a liquid and is poured onto massive sheets and baked to cure, while calendared starts as almost like a "playdough" or putty and rolled through different pinch rollers to squeeze it down to the thin shape

cast is stretchy and does not have a memory because it started as a liquid and has no reference point while calendared will always try to ball back up to its original "playdough" state, causing the curling and the shrinking.....

WILDSIDE, I agree completely. The additional detail is very helpful!